Evaporator



March 11, 1930. w,- sl K; R 1,750,434

EVAPORATOR Filed Jan. 16, 1928 W/LL/A/V 6756A: 77 W Patented Mar. 11,1930 UNITED STATES- PATENT. OFFICE WILLIAM SIECK, JR., OF WINNETKA,ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM GARRIGUE &

COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS a EvAroRAToRApplication riled January 16, 1928. Serial No. 247,111.

This invention relates to improvements .in the type of inclined tubeevaporators now in use, in that in the present invention the steam forsupplying heat to the evaporator is. circulated through the inside ofthe tubes and the liquor to be evaporated circulates about the outsideof the tubes. Further, the arrangement of tubes is such that vaporreleased from the tube surfaces is carried away without coming incontact with any addi-- tional tube surface, that is any additionalsurface above the point from which the vapor rises.

Heretofore in the inclined tube type of evaporator it has been necessaryfor the vapor released at the lower end of the'tubes to travel throughthe entire length of the tubes, thus impairing the rate of heat transferin the tubes.

In the'present invention means are; also provided for causing freshliquor to circulate in contact with the heating surfaces at all pointsalong 'the length of the tubes, with the result that in the presentinventionthe steam circulation through the tubes and the condensatedrainage is more positive than in the prior type of evaporator ofthischaracter in which latter the steam circulates around the outside ofthe tubes.

In the accompanyingdrawing illustrating the invention, Figure 1 isalongitudinal sec tional view of an evaporator of this characterconstructed in accordance with the principles of this invention. V

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail'cross sectional view taken on line 2+2,Figure 1.

The evaporator consists essentially of an inclined body 1 of any desiredsize and shape and is divided into two portions by a longitudinal wallor partitionEZ, the lower end of which partition terminates short of thelower end of the cylindrical body 1 and extends downwardly as at 3. Theupper end of the body 1 is provided with a vapor outlet 4 which leadsinto a steam separator 5 of the centrifugal type and which separator isprovided with a vapor outlet 6. The vapor outlet pipe 4 is provided witha helical 'baflie plate 7 therein which imparts a rotary 1110-. tion tothe vapor ascending upwardly through the pipe 4, so that when the vaporspass into the separator 5 any liquid carried along with the vapors willbe thrown outwardly by centrifugal force against the sides of theseparator and will drain down into an annular space formed around theVapor pipe i at the bottom of the separator, the pipe 4 extending intothe separator above the bottom thereof for a short distance to providesuch'space and from which space the liquor is returned to the evaporatoror cylindrical port-ion l'by means of a pipe 8.

' The dry vapor will escape from the separator 5 through the outlet 6.

At the lower end of the cylindrical body 1 is arranged a verticalportion or chamber 9 of substantially the same cross section as thecylindrical body land is-provided at its bottom with a passagewaycontrolled by a valve 10, and which passageway communicates with a saltbox 11 that is fitted with a screen 12 extending thereacross and spacedabove the bottom thereof.

The salt box 1'1 is provided for the purpose of removing the salts whichmay be in solution in the liquor to be evaporated and crystallize out asthe liquor becomes more and more concentr ated. I

The heating element of the evaporator consists of a steamchest13arranged at the upper end of the cylindrical body 1 and the steam chestis closedby means of a cover plate 14:, a steam supply pipe '16 beingalso provided which communicates with the steam chest and is fitted witha valve 15 to control the passage of the steam from the pipe 16 into thesteam chest.

One end of a series of heating tubes 17 are fitted in the wall of thesteam chest and the lower ends ofthese tubes are fitted or expanded intoa condensate receiver 18 arranged at the lower end of the cylindricalbodyl.

The condensate receiver 18 is closed by a cover plate 19 which isfittedwith a condensate drain pipe 20. The lower end .of the body 1 'isclosed by means of a flexible diaphragm 21 of suitable material, held inplace preferablyby means of a clamping ring 22. The condensate drainpipe 20 issecured to the diaphragm 21 on its inside surface tocompensate for expansion and contraction of the tubes 17. The pipe 20communicates with a pipe 23 secured to the outside surface of thediaphragm and the pipe 23 communicates with a steam trap or suitablemeans (not shown) for removing the condensates from the evaporatorwithout the loss of steam.

A pipe 24 passes through the condensate drain pipe 20 and extends intothe upper section of the condensate receiver 18 and is provided for thepurpose of removing air or other non-condensible gases from thecondensate receiver, the outlet How of such gases being preferablycontrolled by means of a valve 25.

An inlet pipe 26 controlled by a valve 26 is provided for admittingliquor into the evaporator and a passage 27 controlled by a valve 27 isprovided adjacent the lower end of the body 1 for removing theconcentrated liquor from the evaporator.

A gauge glass 28 is provided for the purpose of indicating the level ofthe liquor in the evaporator.

The operation of this improved apparatus is as follows.

The evaporator is filled with liquor to be concentrated, through thepipe 26, to a level approximately indicated by the numeral 29. Steam isadmitted to the interior of the tubes through the pipe 16 and the valve15.

It will be readily seen that when the liquor in the evaporator isboiling, the circulation of the liquor will be upward in the spaces 30and 31 above the longitudinal wall or partition 2 and downward in thespace 32 below the partition 2. Steam released from the steam heatingsurface of the tubes 17 will rise into the space 30 above the tubes andwill escape into the vapor outlet pipe 4 without coming in contact withthe portion of the heating surface of the tubes above the point fromwhich the steam rises. The space 31 below the tubes 17 and above thepartition 2 forms a passage for additional liquor to flow against thetubes.

The circulation of the liquor will be downward in the space 32 below thewall partition 2.

If the liquor to be evaporated carries salt or other substances insuspension, the change in the direction of flow of the liquor as itpasses around the lower depending end 3 of the wall 2 from the passage32 into the passages 31 and 30 will cause such salts to be thrown out ofsuspension and allow them to settle down or precipitate upon the saltscreen 12 in the box 11.

lVhen the box 11 is filled, the valve 10 should be closed and the liquorremaining in the salt box with the salt is drawn off through the screen12 by means of a valve 38. The dry salt may then be removed from thesalt box through a suitable opening closed by a suitable closure 34.

While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that various changesmay be made in thedetails of construction and in the combination and arrangement of theseveral parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing fromthe spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is 1. An evaporator embodying an inclinedelongated chamber, a partition dividing the chamber into twocompartments communicating with each other at both ends, heating tubeswithin one of said compartments and extending throughout the length ofthe chamber and beyond the ends of the partition, means for supplying aheating medium within the tubes to flow therethrough out of comminglingrelation with the liquid in said chamber, means for supplying liquid tothe other compartment and on the outside of the tubes, means permittingthe escape of vapors adjacent the upper end of said chamber, and meansfor removing precipitates from the lower end of the chamber. 2. Anevaporator embodying an elongated and inclined chamber, heating tubestherein and extending throughout the length of the chamber, means forsupplying a heating me dium into the tubes, means for supplying liquidinto the chamber, said tubes being so arranged in said chamber as tocause the liquid to flow against only so much of the heating surfaces asis necessary to convert said liquid into vapor, and means for creating adefined circulation of the liquid within said chamber.

3. An evaporator embodying an elongated inclined chamber, a partitionextending across the chamber above the bottom thereof and terminatingshort of the ends of the chamber, a depending chamber at the lower endof the first said chamber, one end of said partition projecting into andterminating short of the bottom of said depending chamber to constitutea baflie for changing the direction of flow of the liquid, heating pipesarranged in the first said chamber above said partition, out of contactwith the partition and also the wall of the chamber, said pipesextending throughout the length of the elongated chamber, means forsupplying a heating medium into the pipes, means for supplying liquidinto the elongated chamber beneath said partition, and means for causingthe vapor to escape from the elongated chamber, the said tubes being soarranged in said chamber as to maintain the vapors out of contact withall portions of the heating surfaces other than those portions adjacentwhich the vapors are created.

4. An evaporator embodying an elongated inclined chamber, a partitionextending lengthwise thereof and dividing said chamber into twocompartments, said partition terminating short of the ends of thechamber, heating tubes in one of said compartments and extendinglengthwise of the chamber, means for supplying liquid to the said othercompartment, a depending chamber with which both of said compartmentshave communication, one end of said partition extending into andterminating short of the bottom of the depending chamber, and means forreceiving the vapor from the tube containing chamber, said tubes beingso arranged in their respective chamber that vapors will contact withonly that portion of the heating surfaces as is necessary to convertsaid liquid into vapor.

5. An evaporator embodying an elongated inclined chamber, a partitionextending lengthwise thereof and dividing said chamber into twocompartments, said partition terminating short of the ends of thechamber, heating tubes in one of said compartments and extendinglengthwise of the chamber, means for supplying liquid to the said othercompartment, a depending upright chamber with which both of saidcompartments have communication, one end of said partition beingarranged at an angle to the body portion of the partition and extendinginto the said depending chamber and terminating short of the bottom ofthe latter, and means for receiving the vapor from the tube containingchamber, said tubes being so arranged in their respective chamber thatvapors will contact with only that portion of the heating surfaces as isnecessary to convert the liquid into vapor. A

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, onthis 13th day of January, A. D. 1928.

WILLIAM SIECK, JR.

